July 2010, or Thereabouts

We are halfway through the year, oil is still gushing into the Gulf, the recession has ended for bankers, and hurricane season is now upon us. Clients still need to keep old equipment working and their data backed up. It’s time for me to entertain you with techie tips and my next occasional newsletter!

I present myself as the "Computer Wizard." I am the technical person with social skills who brings productivity improvement to your 2 to 25 computers, servers, software, hardware, and Internet applications in your office network, old or new.

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Windows 7 is slowly taking over. Vista is being quietly forgotten. Windows XP is starting to look a little long in the tooth. iPhones and iPads are getting all the attention in the computer world. How long before you can plug into your cell phone a full-sized keyboard and flat screen? Apple is no longer seen as a struggling small business.

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We are halfway through the year, oil is still gushing into the Gulf, the recession has ended for bankers, and hurricane season is now upon us. Clients still need to keep old equipment working and their data backed up. It’s time for me to entertain you with techie tips and my next occasional newsletter!

System Restore is a feature inside the Help and Support option in the Start Menu. When you buy a new Windows 7 or Vista PC, make sure this feature is turned on.

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Be prepared. Check whether your portable TV works with the new digital broadcast signals and that your hurricane supply of batteries is not a pool of bubbling acid. Have the batteries in your battery-backup died, and just when did you last check your backup system? Here we go, it’s that time of year again.

Windows 2008 Server will be the next Server in your office. It includes many new features which will reduce the number of servers and technical people that big companies employ. Small businesses will notice little change except that this version does not support tape backups. The world has moved on to USB and external disk drives. In the Microsoft ads, the reason for the corporate celebration at the installation of this latest technology is the reduction in staff.

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Piggybacks are when you choose to download an application and with it comes a new toolbar or a change your default search engine. To increase the usage of their products, companies pay for your free download of services you want.

Look for a box to check NO, or delete the unwanted feature once it shows up.

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Copiers now come with network connections for scanning, faxing, and mass printing, and this costs less than buying separate equipment. The risk is when you let the Copier Dude access your Server, install who-knows-what software and make what-ever changes. One person should understand everything that is done to your server and document it. Otherwise you can compromise security and expose your valuable documents to everyone on the Internet.

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Relationships still matter. Recovery has not reached everyone. Continue to check on clients and prospects. Stay visible in the community. Be a person of value to others and learn something new in technology and your profession.

Make the rounds of everyone you know.

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